Chandigarh: Panjab University staffers create ₹21 lakh endowment fund in daughter’s memory

The endowment fund aims to encourage excellence in oration, advocacy, public speaking and creative writing among students, the annual competition will offer cash prizes to top winners

Having lost their 20-year-old daughter to a rare autoimmune disease in February this year, two Panjab University (PU) employees have created a ₹21 lakh endowment fund in her memory.

On the occasion, a poetry book, Lukshita’s Lyre, penned by the 20-year-old during her lifetime and her biography titled ‘½ to the Finish Line’, written by her sister and friend, were also released. (HT File)

The “Lukshita Nayyar annual declamation contest endowment”, established by PU finance and development officer Vikram Nayyar and University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS) professor Chanchal Narang, aims to encourage excellence in oration, advocacy, public speaking and creative writing among students. The annual competition will offer cash prizes of ₹51,000, ₹21,000 and ₹11,000 to the top three winners.

On the occasion, a poetry book, Lukshita’s Lyre, penned by the 20-year-old during her lifetime and her biography titled ‘½ to the Finish Line’, written by her sister and friend, were also released. The speakers at the event, acting vice-chancellor (V-C) Meenakshi Goyal, former V-C Renu Vig and former dean of university instructions, Prof Rumina Sethi, recalled Lukshita’s passion for writing and unwavering dedication.